Editors Note: This is NOT a paid political advertisement or endorsed by anyone other than the writer / author of this blog. On Monday, August 19th, Democratic Presidential candidate Julián Castro unveiled a platform focused on advancing the welfare of animals around the globe, both domestic and wildlife. It would raise standards for factory farms […]

They said it couldn’t happen. They said wild salmon would never breach penned-up fish farms. They were wrong. And that’s a big problem. On June 11, 2019, members from the ƛaʔuukʷiʔatḥ / Tla-o-qui-aht First Nation, including Tribal Parks Guardians and members of the Clayoquot Sound Indigenous Salmon Alliance, boarded and inspected open net pen […] […]

President Trump’s declaration of a national emergency has escalated tensions all across the southern border. The large majority of residents who live near the Mexican border don’t want the Wall built. Their reasons include fear of the government’s use of eminent domain, the high probability of flooding from a built wall, concern of escalating tensions […] […]

Just when you thought your food choices were clear and safe. UK firm The John Innes Centre has applied for permission to plant experimental genetically modified wheat and broccoli in open fields at their farm outside Norwich, in the United Kingdom. The research company hopes to begin two small-scale field trials in April. In 2017, […]

When you consider our nation’s health, the quality of our food, its decreasing nutritional value and the increased degradation of our farmland, it’s not a pretty picture — and the challenges related to these issues keep growing. By 2050 the world’s population will likely reach close to 9 billion people. To feed everyone, we’ll need […]

We’re able to recycle more things now than ever before. Entrepreneurs continue to come up with innovative processes that promise to keep expanding the list.

The latest recycling innovation is a new Kickstarter campaign I recently found called “ReCORK: Imagine Carbon Negative Footwear”. ReCORK promises stylish footwear for men and women made from recycled natural wine corks.

There are other, greener alternatives on the market, including Geami, a honeycomb-looking, paper-based wrapping that’s an effective choice. But a new, more natural option has hit the market that might just capture your imagination.

For many, the idea of composting conjures up a picture of smelly, insect-attracting, decomposing food leftovers. And although more people than ever are planting home gardens, taking the next step into composting can still be daunting.

Full Circle – a two-year old company with an ever-growing line of top quality, functional, eco-friendly products made from sustainable and renewable materials – has created two new products that will make composting easy for everyone.

As we move closer to Christmas,with thoughts turning to presents and lists, there are some important ecological facts to bear in mind.

Americans generate an added 5 million tons of waste during the holidays. Of this, four million tons are wrapping paper and shopping bags. Worse still, the majority of holiday wrapping paper can’t be recycled because it contains lead and/or metallic materials, which are toxic if burned. So it all winds up in our landfills.

This is a guest post by Danielle Brycz from Verde Lifestyles, an online eco-friendly home décor store.

When I think of green technology for the home, my mind jumps to energy saving devices and appliances. But there’s so much more!

Most of the products we use have eco-friendly alternatives. Take your daily routine. You wake up, hit your alarm clock, turn on your bedside lamp. Then you shower with a low-flow showerhead, blow-dry your hair,eat breakfast, and are out the door with your backpack or briefcase.

Besides conserving water and turning off your lights when not using them, did you consider greener options the last time you made a purchase? It’s just a matter of making small changes.

Here are some great green gadgets for the home you might not have considered.

The MiniWiz solar light

Solar Powered Lamp

MiniWiz’s indoor/outdoor lamp – introduced at 2009’s Consumer Electronics Show (CES) – uses solar technology to provide light. Their SolarBulb can be attached to any plastic bottle. Its LED light automatically turns on when dark and is water-resistant. You can fill the water bottle when it’s windy. Though not currently available for sale, it will be priced around $25.

Naturally- Powered Clocks

A handsome bamboo clock powered by dirt

There’s an adorable clock from Bedol that’s powered by water and a little lemon juice. This mixture charges the clock for up to 6-8 weeks!

Another favorite is a dirt-powered clock by designer Marieke Staps. Its copper and zinc electrodes go directly into the soil for a natural source of energy. Not only is the power renewable, the clock’s made of bamboo, making it one of the most eco-friendly clocks I’ve come across. Another bonus is you can use any type of plant to power the clock!

The ECO 8000 Blow Dryer

While its hard to believe, this Barbar dryer cuts both your drying time and energy consumption in half! Plus its ceramic heating components protect you from radiation. The cover doesn’t appear to be sustainable, but it’s a step in the right direction!

Naturally-powered Bags

NoonStyle's stylish solar Messenger Bag

The Voltaic solar panel backpack has been on my wish list for a long time. It will charge all your devices, even rechargeable batteries. (Not all at once of course.) Fully charged in 6-8 hours, it comes with an adaptor to charge at home or in the car. Another bonus: the wire channels bring power to the shoulder straps for easy use and there’s a plug for headphones. It’s a little more expensive than your average backpack, but well worth it.

If you’d rather have a messenger bag than a backpack, the NoonStyle Solar Messenger Bagis for you. Same concept, different style. Though stylish, a big drawback is it’s almost double the price of the Voltaic backpack.

The solar grill - an eco-friendly way to cook

Solar Powered Grill

Developed by Tammock Trading, the Solar Grill is the first of its kind. Made of concave metal coated with a mirror, it focuses the sun’s rays to cook your food. While not practical for cloudy days, on sunny days it’s powerful enough to burn your food! For $240, this nifty grill’s great for camping or the beach. Compared to other eco-friendly grills, this product takes it to the max!

These are some of my favorite eco-friendly products. Feel free to share yours!

Volvoannounced plans to test Dimethyl ether (DME), a cleaner burning fuel sourced from renewable materials, in some of their trucks.

DME isn’t new, but its impact on the environment is impressive. This colorless, clean-burning gas has the potential to be 95 percent carbon neutral, with zero particulate emissions According to Wikipedia, as a fuel source DME shows promise for diesel, standard gasoline and gas turbine engines.

The DME for the Volvo project will be an energy-rich, highly viscous by-product of the paper pulp industry. Volvo plans to have selected customers test 14 of their trucks at four locations in different parts of Sweden between 2010 and 2012 at four Preem oil company stations.